Friday, February 29, 2008

It's nice when the title for a post is completed by the computer's mindreading powers after typing in just one letter. As you can see it's the Leafs turn to play another post-trade deadline game. Tonight they face the Lightning who they absolutely own and face a goalie that even his coach doesn't know. I bet Tortorella was being facetious but I heard Smith was in the room and had to fight to keep his lower lip from quivering.

Anyway, here's my game day thread be sure to click over and participate over there as well as here. Except Duff.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

The final iteration of the 2007-08 Ottawa Senators presents itself in Philadelphia tonight (on Pay-Per-View no less!). Bryan Murray will re-establish himself behind the bench and Martin Lapointe will walk into the middle of the psyche ward that has become the Sens dressing room.

It all feels quite weird. The firing of the coach of a 36-22-6 hockey club (the highest scoring team in the league to boot) is difficult to explain to those who haven't been following the Sens intently over the last few seasons. In addition to a lingering inability to weather rough patches in the regular season or playoffs, there is a recurring sense among fans and perhaps ownership, that the "window" is closing shut and there is no more time for experimentation or redevelopment. Looking at the cup rings and "grit" that has been brought in over the last few months I find myself wondering whether they've arrived too late and thinking that these types of additions are exactly what was needed to get some of those teams of a few years back over the hump.

Having another look at Paddock's record by month, on paper I'd frankly have a hard time explaining the firing to myself:

October 9-1-0 (Gerber on a tear to open it up)November 7-5-2 December 9-3-2 (although these look fine considering the Sens usually fare badly at this time of the year, the initial 16-3-0 start was followed up by a seven game winless streak straddling November and December)January 7-7-0 (.500 hockey despite injury to Heatley, best game of the season against Detroit)February 4-6-2 (four losses, two goose eggs against division rivals and a pair of one-goal decisions dropped to the closing Devils)

More specific issues pointed out by the fans, and on which I generally concur, included the following:

1. Inability to settle on forward line combinations outside of Heatley/Spezza/Alfredsson. There were a few that caught fire for a game or two (Schubert/Fisher/Neil, Vermette/Kelly/Stillman) and then completely disappear. (Important Note: Murray was also guilty of this).

2. Relying too much on the Pizza line. Average time on ice has increased by about a minute to a minute-and-a-half for the big three over last year. They're responsible for 42% of Ottawa's goals so far, not much changed from the previous season total of 39%. (Important Note: Pizza got Murray through the first three rounds of the playoffs last year, only to be smothered by Anaheim's checking line from hell)

3. Bungling of the goaltending situation. Not only did win-and-you're-in not account for undisciplined play that was not of the tender's doing, but rewarding Emery with starts after a loss by Gerber sent the wrong message after the latter's great comeback and the former's attitude issues to start the season. (Important Note: Murray resigned Emery immediately prior to arbitration - whether he could have let him walk and gone shopping for whatever was available remains a mystery in pictures)

4. Calling out star players publicly. Again, there's only so many times you can get away with this, and you probably need to earn the player's respect before doing so. (Important Note: As GM, Murray has requested Redden waive his no-trade clause, actively and publically shopped both goalies, as well as two of his best penalty killers)

5. An unprecedented tune-out in the last 120 minutes of hockey (although Alfie says it's B.S.). Unprecedented even going back to the days of Sparky Allison. If anything made the case for the firing it was a completely healthy lineup that put in a lifeless effort in front of both goalies.

In sum, I think there's a very fine line between the opportunities that Paddock wasted and the challenges that were put in his path by his eventual successor. Keep in mind that Murray promoted Paddock himself, at root this is his failure to judge the ability of his assistant and how the team would respond to his coaching style. Whether we'll see dramatic improvements in team defence or focus seems to me a bit of a stretch.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

So long as Tampa, LA, Edmonton and the Hossa-less Thrashers are around, getting Stamkos ain't gonna be easy. Which is why I'm thinking lets just make the playoffs.A win tonight, and around 14 more, just might do it.

Oh dear lord...

This one will be a solid 3-1 win by God's team. If you have a second, feel free to disagree.

So this is how it ends not with a bang but with a whimper. Well, I mean, 5-0 to the Leafs and 4-0 to the Bruins must have felt like there was some banging going on. I'd like to get a timeline of when our friendly neighbourhood bloggers started calling for Paddock's head so e-mail them to me and I'll add them in just to hammer home the point that the traditional media loves to keep their access safe rather than rock the boat.

As of midnight on the left coast, we've got the other Vinnie headed back to Philadelphia for Alex Picard and a pick.

Mirtle has also linked to reports of a possible Richards - Smith swap between Tampa and Dallas, as well as a Hossa - Ryder deal between the Thrashers and Habs.

Will we get any last minute shockers like last year's Ryan Smyth deal? Which Battle team will make a move first? Which major sports website will crash first? How ridiculous will Eklund look? What percentage of national GDP will be lost today due to hockey fans refreshing their browsers every 30 seconds?

Keep us posted in the comments, and if our token french Canadian finally gets shipped off to Georgia or Tennesee, I may just need a shoulder to cry on.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Bryan McCabe decided to hold a party and was inviting some guys from the team. He asked Tucker if he could bring some beer for everyone. Darcy told Bryan that he should invite Fletcher and he'd bring the beer. Sure enough, when McCabe asked him to come, Cliff asked what he could bring and said he'd be happy to pick up the beer. On the way to the party, Cliff stops at the Beer Store and loads up his truck. A few blocks later, at a stop sign, some fans recognize him and roll down the windows. "Hey Cliffie!!" they yell and then one asks what all the beer was for. Fletcher says "I got it for Bryan McCabe." The fans reply "Great trade!!"

Looks like home ice has meant something this year. Game 6 is here in Ottawa and is on Sportsnet.

If any of the guys Fletcher wants to move waive their NTC, expect them to miss this game. McCabe and Sundin are the two I guess are left as Tucker is staying for the good of the team and it seems like nobody wants Kubina.

What will be the effect? It could fire up the Blue team and they get them playing over their heads. They could come out and mail it in. They've clawed their way from 29th to 27th. Just a few more to get out of a lottery pick.

The Sens? Will Emery get tapped again? They play the next night in Boston so I'm sure each will get a start. Did yesterday's game break the team out of their funk or will it enforce an attitude that makes the team think they can turn it on at will?

Friday, February 22, 2008

I'm just throwing this out there to kick off the trade deadline discussions.

We'd fit them in this year no problem. Ottawa can add a full year equivalent of 12 million at this time of the year.

Next year would be tough.

You're looking at Alfie, Spezza, Heatley, Richards, Fisher, Neil, McAmmond, Foligno, Bass, Phillips, Volchenkov, Schubert, Emery, and Elliot/Glass making 45 million and you need to add at least 4 up front and 3 D. The expected cap next year is about 53.3Say you bring up Nycholat or Brian Lee and resign Richardson the two would take up about 1.5. Bring up Hennessey and resign McGratton would be another 1.3 say. That gives you 5.5 to sign a few players. Say we can get Commodore to re-sign to play the 3/4 pairing with Schubert and hopefully re-sign Kelly and Donovan assuming they'll all take a bit of a discount to try to repeat as champs.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Dear God February hockey is tedious. The ritual anxiety and fidgeting leading up to the trade deadline has set in, the novelty of a new season and new faces has long worn off, and if you're an Ottawa fan, your team is coasting through a rudderless stretch of games, uncertain whether all the pieces have yet to fall into place for another playoff run or whether everything necessary is at hand, just the head coach can't seem to follow the assembly instructions. Even the GM can't be bothered to watch or comment on the games. Also, depending on where you live, you're either under about five feet of snow or having your retinas seared out by the first glimpse of sunshine in about nine months.

The Sens have averaged 3.00 goals for per game in February, below their season average of 3.35. Goals against, perhaps the most troubling stat of the season, have also been higher than the 23rd in the league average of 2.90, at 3.25 for the eight games this month. Ray Emery will get the start tonight, Coach Paddock having abandoned the futile win-and-you're-in strategy after Emery's last loss to the Devils. A climbdown for sure, and while many fans have roasted him for bad player management, he can hardly be blamed for the injuries to Heatley and Alfredsson or the fact that the team is yet again shuffling between two number two goalies (blame Sweater Man for that travesty).

I'll go with a 4-2 Sens win over the visiting Blue Jackets (Stillman, Vermette, Heatley, Fisher). The line of Vermette/Kelly/Stillman continues to gel and hopefully either keeps them off the trading block or keeps their stock value high enough to land a big name on Tuesday.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The hot topic at the GM meetings, besides trades, is the size of goaltending equipment. Some think they need better rules so guys aren't taking advantage of the allowable sizes:

Brodeur, who is 6-foot-2, wears pads that are 34-35 inches in length and can't understand why most goalies in the league are wearing the maximum 38-inch pads."There's no reason why anyone under six-feet should be wearing 38-inch pads, but everybody is wearing them," he said.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

After yet another comment today by a Sens fan claiming Brian Burke didn't even build the Cup winning Ducks, that it was in fact Bryan Murray, I thought it was time to have a closer look. I know Brian Burke and Cryin' Bryan are buddies so I followed my suspicion that if Brian Burke can say nice things about Richard Peddie, surely he's not opposed to giving his old pal Cryin' a little too much credit?

Here is what I dug up:

2002 DRAFT: After coaching the Ducks into the ground in 2001/2002, now GM Bryan Murray gets to choose 7th overall. He takes Joffrey Lupul. After this high first round pick, guess how many NHL players he drafted in the following 8 rounds? None.

2003 DRAFT: Murray arrives to his 2nd and final draft as Anaheim GM with two first round picks. He picks Ryan Getzlaf with his 19th overall pick, and then Corey Perry with the 28th in this very deep first round. The deepest in years. In fact, Nathan Horton, Eric Staal, Marc Andre-Fleury, Dion Phaneuf, Ryan Suter, Zack Parise, Jeff Carter, and Ryan Kesler are all taken before Perry's name is called. In the next 7 rounds (Anaheim have no 2nd rounder), Murray finds one more NHLer in Shane O'Brien.

"Murray is hoping to add a forward and a defenceman. His team is 5-10-1 in their last 16 games. "Obviously the way our team is playing right now in particular, I think we can use another shot in the arm..."- Sportsnet

A forward and a defenceman? Jesus Cryin', didn't you just make that trade last week? A shot in the arm? This team needs a Pulp Fiction big ass needle through the breast plate. Who hired this guy?

"A bigger name that had people buzzing at the meetings Monday was that of star centre Brad Richards. With the Lightning trying to re-sign defenceman Dan Boyle, the thinking is that the team will try to move Richards".-Sportsnet

See, this is what happens to one line teams. Take note.

"Anaheim is believed to be in hot pursuit of Sundin -- an unrestricted free agent July 1 -- but Ducks GM Brian Burke denied he was close to making any trade."-Sportsnet

Brian, Brian, Brian... You will be a lot closer when put that pretty little Oiler pick on the table. I know, I know, you want to preserve some kind of future in Anaheim, but think about it this way: if you trade the pick now, you can have Mats AND the pick next year when you're GM of the Leafs. Wink wink.

"I've been positively surprised by myself at how good I've been able to block everything out," he (Toskala) says of his first season in the maelstrom that is Leafs hockey".-Toronto Star

Maybe next year you will only have to worry about blocking pucks. Um, sorry about all this Vesa?

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Fletcher spent the 2nd intermission of last nights game in a closed door meeting with Dallas Co-GM Les Jackson according to this story from Damien Cox. This is great news for those of us who still hope Brian Burke's coveted Oiler pick might end up on the table come Feb 26th. Burke has stated clearly he wants to hold onto what could amount to a top 4 draft choice, but will he keep it and let Dallas get a centerman of Sundin's stature going into what could be a playoff meeting between these teams? It's fair to say that even as a rental the price for Sundin will be high. But the added incentive for western GM's to keep Sundin away from their foes might be what drives the price up to something that could really help the Leafs down the road.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Boys, don't wait until you're down 3-0 to one of the best goalies in the history of the game to start playing. Ray - we don't think you're good enough to backstop this team because of your rebound control or your lateral movement. You used stop shots 4 ft across the blueline at the boards.

Darcy, thanks for pulling the Leafs farther from the Stamkos spot.

CBC 2nd game announcers are chosen for their soothing sleep inducing sound.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Whatever happens to this roster in the coming days, the future looks a helluva lot brighter with Vesa signed on. I know he's at the top of my untouchable list, what about yours? Followed by Kaberle, Stralman, Tlusty, Steen and Stajan. After that I would entertain an offer on anybody. And according to JFJ during the intermission last night, he was getting a lot of calls on a lot of different players before he was axed. So the interest was there a few weeks ago at least. Lets hope that hasn't changed.

My prediction is we'll get the first Leaf casualty this weekend. Who will it be?

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Lets be honest here. Hope for the Toronto Maple Leafs 2008 season is burning about as bright as a pilot light during a power outage. Bandwagoners have lost interest. Hardcore fans have given up. Christ, even rival fans have given up telling Leaf Nation to give up. Turn the Leafs over. They're done. Right?

But hold on.

Fans don't run this team. Neither do the media. Even us bloggers, self-proclaimed experts on everything from rosters to Ray Emery's drug habits, hold the leverage of a popsicle stick when it comes to what happens on the ice. The players are alone with their hands on the wheel in this one. The rest of us, mere observers.

So where the hell are they taking this broken down golf cart anyway?

The players keep saying they haven't given up. You want to think it's all bravado and optics, but they seem sincere enough. They're focused on making the playoffs. Why? Maybe because the distance between them and 8th place is an anorexic seven points. Even more scary, they're only eight points out of 7th place but with two games in hand. I suck at math, but even I can see how you could wrangle a little hope out of that equation. Still, either Mats and co. are disillusioned as all hell, or maybe they're the only calm left in this whole ugly storm? It's hard to be sure.

What is for certain? This week will decide everything. Lose 2 of 3, and you can bet your Ikea dresser that Sundin will be a Vancouver Canuck or San Jose Shark or Detroit Red Wing inside two weeks. But win all three games, and maybe the hand that holds the plug will not be so quick to pull it? Hey, crazier things have happened. Even in Toronto, from time to time.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The refurbished Sens host the Sabres tonight at 7:30 PM (Sportsnet local). This is the trade that probably should have been made circa 2004-2006 when Stillman and Commodore were...busy participating in Stanley Cup finals. In the seven games leading up to February 26th, Murray now has time to assess the severity of any remaining holes in the lineup. Once again sending out strong messages through the media (like Paddock, Murray doesn't mince words, which is again a big change in demeanor from a franchise that became accustomed to the more introverted Jacques Martin / Pierre Gauthier and John Muckler) Murray said, effectively, that Corvo couldn't handle the pressure of playing in Ottawa and asked for a trade (later confirmed by Corvo on his arrival in Raleigh). Perhaps he, Brian McCabe, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Patrice Brisebois and Larry Murphy should form a trauma support group for defensively sketchy defensemen who are veterans of the Canadian hockey market.

We apparently like guys who thrive under pressure, and increasingly guys from good old Ontario. Does everyone remember when the Sens were allegedly stacked with too many Euros to win a cup? Here's the birthplace of the current roster:

Half the team is from Upper Canada in addition to some prairie beef on the blueline. Murray, Donovan, Robitaille and Richardson were all born in or grew up in the Ottawa area). The German, Swiss, Russian, Swede and Slovak are only there for a little Continental flair.

And finally tonight, the post title is a nod to the biggest goldfish in the bowl, the prodigal son, the prima donna, the OTR regular, but most importantly, the Sabres killer (10-3-0 and 1), Ray Emery. I think this tune needs to be slotted in alongside "Big Gun" and "The Heat Is On" for when Ray comes off a sequence of decent saves. Take it away Chamillionaire.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Well, glove tap to Mirtle and THM for informing us that the senators agreed all along with the Leafs fans here that the sens are a one-line team with only one good pair of defencemen. They've made a deal with the Hurricanes that will see Corvo and Eaves head to Carolina while Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore jet up to the City that Fun Forgot.

TSN has Stillman listed as "Top six winger." under Career Potential. Um.... really?Anyway, two Cups to him, one to Commodore and one to Gerber (chuckles). Anyway, Stillman may get his first 30 goal year with the Sens. Here's hoping. Ok .... we need a new post for imaginary lineups!

I think that this is a good deal and it's nice for Murray that Muckler didn't trade Eaves last year for Gary Roberts since he was so valuable. Alright, what are the lines? Clearly Spezza needs his security Heatley at his side but who's on the other flank and who gets to play their way to a big pay-day with Stillman and Alfie?

Instant Update: Mirtle does a little more analysis (I think my comment was up first the crook!)

The Senators, in other words, come away with about $570,000 in cap space, which leaves them with about $3-million room. That prorates to about $7.5-million given there is only 40 per cent of the season left to play, which means GM Bryan Murray can add a few other additions at will.

And suddenly I am not as absolutely sure that the sens will fall on their faces in the playoffs...

Next Season: This is when the move will really start to pay off depending on how much salary is added before the deadline but according to NHL's Cap the sens' figure for next year was $41,902,329. By removing Corvo's salary and avoiding Eaves' RFA status that figure drops to $38,335,209 and that was not even including a raise for Eaves. That leaves Meszaros and Vermette as the team's only RFAs on the regular roster and Wade Redden, Commodore, Kelly, Robitaille, Richardson, and Stillman as the UFAs to be signed (or not) with about $15M in space based on a projected cap of $53M.

Thanks to Four Habs Fans for pointing out the latest run-in with police involving a member of the Canadiens. Before that it was former Hab Guy LaFleur's pending pandering charges that made the news. What is up with this franchise? What happened to its class?

Word is that Kostopolous and O'Byrne kept the missing $20 for their next night out with the FHF guys.

Sigh. 48 hours ago I was on the 2nd hole of my 4th round of the week cracking open a Corona and otherwise enjoying unseasonably warm weather for Orlando in February. I come back to more snow, -20C weather and reports that our goalie is getting stopped by our police a few times a week and Redden again squashed a proposed move to the West.

On the bright side, I found out we had crushed the Scabs again on HDIC, the Leafs are slowly making their way out of a lottery pick, and my kids love the t-shirts and baby gator head I brought back. Good to be back.

Saturday, February 09, 2008

Congrats to our new Leaf overlords for cheapening what I thought was the 07-08 Senators performance of the year (Leafs>Sens>Wings??!!). Still three more BoOs to go, though, and by the time the last two roll around, we should expect distinctly different lineups for both squads.

Thanks to squeaking out a win against Florida on Thursday, the Sens will retain control of the East after tonight one way or another, however, a statement needs to be made with a healthy lineup and a goalie who looked to be finally gaining some confidence. The best looking lines of the year will hopefully be back as follows:

And speaking of statements, Friday brought news that Redden invoked his no-trade clause in a possible deal with the Sharks. The leak upset Murray and forced Redden to issue a statement claiming he wants to stick around and win a cup (surely San Jose would also be considered a contender?). In any event, it's time to move on and consider that the best way to cover up his defensive liabilities and soft play is to keep playing him and Corvo with the pizza line whenever possible. When that line is having a night, the puck is constantly under their control and 6 and 7 can pinch in with relative impunity. The downside, of course, as exposed in the Anaheim series and during the recent spate of injuries, is that when Pizza gets neutralized by an aggressive checking line, it's a pretty awful sight in the Sens end.

"Nicklas Lidstrom appears ready to lay out the "Welcome, Mats" sign. The Red Wings captain was up front yesterday about his desire to have Leafs captain Mats Sundin join Detroit for the club's playoff run".

Nick. Haven't you been listening to Sens fans? Nobody wants Leafs at the deadline. What the hell do you know anyway?"This year hasn't been great for me personally." -Darcy Tucker

Thanks for clearing that up. We had no idea.

"Ottawa has struggled without Alfredsson in the lineup. Before their 5-4 victory over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, the Senators had lost all six previous games this season without him."

Man, this team doesn't handle injuries very well huh? That's OK, it's only the playoffs coming and I'm sure Ottawa will be 100% healthy throughout. Nothing to worry about.

"While the 30-year-old currently has no interest in leaving Ottawa, a city he has spent his entire 11-year NHL career with, it's highly unlikely he'll return next season."

And here I thought Emery was a distraction. Imagine being in the dressing room now?"Forward Nik Antropov will return to the lineup today after serving a three-game suspension for tossing his stick and having it land near on-ice officials".

Back in the line-up, hockey day in Canada, against the winningest team in the NHL. No pressure.

[PPP addendum]"The most dangerous lie of our time arose from this great article by this great article by Kim Jorn. He did a great job of showing how clueless the Montreal cabbie was but in the comments a blatant falsehood made an appearance. A lie that I have heard perpetrated with pride by Montrealers repeatedly and echoed by an inebriated bird-watcher:"

What is this lie? Find out and see it debunked here. I think you know where it'll take you but I get to link to whatever I want.

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Who's feeling the most bummed out after Tuesday night's debacles? Is it Spezza, the crutchless wonder? Meszaros, looking like that Timbit kid who does a face-plant in the commercial? Marty Gerber, who once again lost his starting job to the likes of Ray Emery? Mats Sundin, embarrassed enough by another 8 goal torching to waive the no-trade clause? Saku Koivu, after being benched by Carbo?

Life will be sunnier at the BoO after a 3-1 Leafs win (Tucker, Sundin, Kaberle) and a 5-1 Senators win (Heatley x2, Spezza, Corvo, McAmmond).

For sens fans, Heatley and Alfie practiced. I guess that means ottawa can start on getting that chicken bone out of their throats. 0-7 and 0-9 without Alfie and Heatley respectively. Good to see Spezza earn his salary.

With a clear edge in Orne, as well as, a penalty kill that carries over Saturday's performance against the league's deadliest power play, the Sens will prevail with a 4-0 victory (Fisher x2, Kelly, Redden).

Monday, February 04, 2008

"They (Toronto) scored four goals from the crease. That's just unbelievable... We're just not competing. Defencemen just can't let guys stand there. If you're going to take a penalty, take one for removing someone's helmet with a cross-check. That's hockey. Any penalty that saves a goal is a good penalty. Have a little bit of balls to do that."

"In the last 36 games Ottawa has only won 17 and have given up 3.25 goals per game".

Somebody a few months back on BoO was certain that the Sens were not nearly as good as their 16-3 record. He took a lot of flak. Most geniuses do.

"Moore, who was claimed off waivers from Minnesota on Jan. 11, banged a rebound past Ray Emery at 9:32 for his first goal in 10 games in the blue and white. A Luke Richardson giveaway to Boyd Devereaux behind the net set it up".

"Ottawa's Jason Spezza again looked lost without the injured Dany Heatley and Daniel Alfredsson".

One would think $7M would get you a guy who can make things happen by himself. Tlusty has two goals since being on Sundin's wing last week. Spezza can't even tie his skates without Heatley.

"Emery, who's had his fair share of incidents lately, didn't want another and said he wasn't about to overreact.''I definitely wasn't going to get into an altercation there. I might have been on the front page of a couple more papers,'' Emery said. 'Stuff happens, no big deal to me'."

A douchebag is as a douchebag does. Isn't that how it goes?

"(Toronto's) current roster is peppered with nine players born in 1983 or later: Earl, Stralman, Tlusty, Darryl Boyce, Alex Steen, Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo, Matt Stajan and Kyle Wellwood... there is also Tyler Ruegsegger, who showed obvious talent while playing on the U.S. team at the world junior championship, and Toronto native Chris DiDomenico now the leading scorer in the QMJHL with Saint John... Justin Pogge and Nik Kulemin, both 22, very well could make the jump to the NHL next season."

Cut to the year 2010 as Brian Burke, GM of the newly minted Stanley Cup Champion Toronto Maple Leafs, gives props to JFJ for his contribution to the talented young core of the team.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Superbowl weekend inevitably brings me a head cold, and right now I'm one decongestant over the line. While listening in to "Live From Wayne Gretzy's" on the local radio today, Bryan Murray was one of the guests. In response to a question about what GM's do while up in the booth he explains that, in addition to drinking lots of coffee, he focusses exclusively on the good and bad aspects of his own team's players, although he mentioned that tonight he would be keeping a close eye on Mats Sundin. This got the host's attention, but Murray quickly dismissed any rumour-mongering by noting "he's always keeping an eye on the other team's best player". I'll certainly be thinking / hallucinating about the possibility of Sundin in a Sens jersey tonight. I'm beyond caring about who Murray deals with to bring this team another top-six forward, but if the Leafs could send Larry Murphy to the Wings or Russ Courtnall to the Habs, I couldn't completely rule out the notion of an inter-division swap with a hated rival.

Season series is 3-1 Senators, with all three wins by tonight's benchwarmer Marty Gerber. Alfie, Eaves, Bass, Heatley (and possibly Phillips) are out for the Sens, while Bell, Devereaux, Kilger, McCabe, Ponikorovsky and Steen are injured for the Leafs (in addition to the first of a three-game suspension for Antropov). Look for a disciplined 2-1 Sens victory (the absolutely lethal top line of Chris Kelly, Jason Spezza and Chris Neil combine for the pair).

Just in time for the latest installment, BoO Alum The Meatriarchy has his site up and running again complete with a nifty blue paint job:

There is a media generated myth out there that Toronto fans won’t stand for a rebuilding. In fact it is the media themselves that won’t stand for it. At this point in history the Leafs for the first time seem to be on the verge of actually tearing the whole thing down and starting with a fresh slate. This could mean another three years of horrible hockey teams. Not just mediocre but downright horrible. Remember all the teams that are now looked upon as future dynasties (Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Chicago) were truly awful for a number of years. In fact Buffalo and Pittsburgh were so bad the viability of the franchises was in some doubt for a time. While the Leafs will certainly never teeter on the edge of financial ruin you can bet that if they stay at the bottom for another two years the same scribes who were screaming for a rebuild will dig out their “how can they charge that much for a crappy product, they are lining their pockets and taking the fans for suckers” columns and then a week later complain that the fans are too impatient and aren’t willing to wait for a rebuild.

Had he known there was steak on the line, he might have run away with the BoOB title this year.

Paddock announced afterward that Ray Emery will start against the Maple Leafs tomorrow at Air Canada Centre.Goalie Martin Gerber, who allowed three goals on seven shots in the first, wasn't great, but didn't seem thrilled when he heard the news that Emery will be between the pipes."No comment," said Gerber.